## Bechinat Olam Chapter 1

###### Bechinat Olam 1:1
[Bechinat Olam 1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:1)

שָׁמַיִם לָרוּם וָאָרֶץ לָעֹמֶק וְרֹחַב לֵב נָבוֹן אֵין חֵקֶר:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Heavens above, earth below, and between the endless expanse of the discerning heart


###### Bechinat Olam 1:2
[Bechinat Olam 1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:2)

אוֹהֵב הִתְחַקּוֹת עַל שָׁרְשֵׁי מַחֲצַב אֱנוֹשׁוּתוֹ:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
A passion for inquiry which extends to the earliest shoots of humanity, to the quarry from which we were hewn.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:3
[Bechinat Olam 1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:3)

אֵין חֵקֶר לִתְבוּנָתוֹ רַבִּים חִקְרֵי לֵב אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
With unfathomable wisdom, and a heart bursting with questions and queries.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:4
[Bechinat Olam 1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:4)

רַבּוֹת מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּלֶב־צַדִּיק צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
The heart of the righteous, in love with justice and charity, overflows with insight.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:5
[Bechinat Olam 1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:5)

בִּקְרָבָיו יְקַדֵּשׁ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִשְׂפָתָיו יְכַבֵּד אֱלֹהֵי הַכָּבוֹד:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Within he sanctifies the Holy One of Israel; with his lips he honors the God of Glory.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:6
[Bechinat Olam 1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:6)

אֵין חָכְמָה וְאֵין עֵצָה וְאֵין תְּבוּנָה אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהֶם רוֹעֶה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Without a shepherd there is no wisdom, no counsel, no understanding.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:7
[Bechinat Olam 1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:7)

מִי מִשְּׁפָלִים בִּלְעֲדֵי הַשָּׁלֵם יִתְכַּחֲשׁוּ לוֹ:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Save for the Perfect One, all others fall back before Him.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:8
[Bechinat Olam 1:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:8)

הַיְּכַלְכֵּל לֵב שָׁמַיִם הֲיָכִיל לֵב יַמִּים מֶחְקָר כִּלְלוּהוּ קִירוֹת לֵב:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Can the heart of the heavens endure? Can the heart of the sea contain? Yet all inquiry is enclosed within the walls of the human heart.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:9
[Bechinat Olam 1:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:9)

הַיְסוֹכְכוּ כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ עַל רוּחַ חָכְמָה מְרַחֶפֶת עַל מֵי מְנוּחוֹת וְנַחֲלֵי עֵדֶן:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Can the spirit of wisdom, hovering over waters of rest and streams of Eden, be stilled by the wings of the wind?


###### Bechinat Olam 1:10
[Bechinat Olam 1:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:10)

הֲיַקִּפוּ רַחֲבֵי אֶרֶץ מַחֲשָׁבָה מוֹשָׁבָהּ עֲלִיַּת קִיר קְטַנָּה כְּכַף אִישׁ:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
How can the vast expanse of earth be encompassed by thought’s dwelling— a little chamber, no larger than the palm of a hand?


###### Bechinat Olam 1:11
[Bechinat Olam 1:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:11)

רְאֵה זֶה חֵלֶק אָדָם מֵאֵל וְחֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מֵעוֹלָמוֹ:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Behold: man’s portion is from God above; God’s portion is from man below.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:12
[Bechinat Olam 1:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:12)

הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְזֶה לְבַדּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ הוֹלֵךְ נְכֹחוֹ:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
God is in the heavens, and man, alone on the earth, walks before Him.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:13
[Bechinat Olam 1:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:13)

דּוֹרֵשׁ רְשׁוּמוֹת בִּכְתַב אֱמֶת גְּדוֹלִים מַעֲשָׂיו בְּדַת וָדִין:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Seeking signs in the scripture of truth; great are his deeds in law and judgement.


###### Bechinat Olam 1:14
[Bechinat Olam 1:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bechinat%20Olam/r/1:14)

וְלוּלֵי בַעֲתוֹת זְמַנּוֹ יְבַהֲלוּהוּ וְרוּחַ עִתּוֹ מְבַעִתּוֹ אַל־יַעֲצָר לוֹ לִרְכּוֹב שָׁמַיִם לְחַבֵּק זְרוֹעוֹת עוֹלָם עַד הֱיוֹתוֹ כֵאלֹהִים לָדַעַת טוֹב:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Were it not for seasons of dread and moments of terror, nothing would prevent his ascent into the heavens, his embrace of the arms of the world, and, in his knowledge of good, his becoming like God.